Part 14 (1/2)

From the room Ideala looked to her companion. He was writing rapidly, and seemed absorbed in his subject. He was frowning slightly, his face was pale and set, and he looked older by ten years than when he had spoken last, and seemed cold and unimpa.s.sioned as a judge; but Ideala thought again that the face was a fine one.

Presently he became conscious of her earnest gaze. He did not look up, but every feature softened, and a warm glow spread from forehead to chin; it was as if a deep shadow had been lifted, and a younger, but less n.o.ble, man revealed.

”How you change!” Ideala exclaimed--”not from day to day, but from moment to moment. You are like two men. I wish I could get behind that horrid veil of flesh that hides you from me. I want to see your soul.”

He smiled. ”You are getting tired,” he said. ”Do let me persuade you to come and have some lunch. When you begin to speculate, I know you have done enough.”

But Ideala could not go through the ordeal of who should pay for lunch again. She preferred to starve. The _camaraderie_ between them was mental enough to be manlike already, but only as long as there was no question of material outlay.

”Mayn't I stay here and read?” she said. ”I can have something by-and- by, when I want it. Do go and leave me.”

And he was obliged to go at last, wondering somewhat at her want of appet.i.te.

When he returned she was still working diligently, and they spent the rest of the afternoon together, reading, writing, and chatting, until it was time for Ideala to go. Lorrimer saw her into her train, and fixed another day for her to return and go on with her work.

And so the thing became a settled arrangement. Whenever she could spare the time she went and worked beside him, and he was always the same, kindly, considerate, helping her now and then, but not, as a rule, interfering with her. She just came and went as she pleased, and as she would have done had he been her brother. Sometimes they were alone together for hours, sometimes his secretary worked in the room with them, and always there were people coming and going. There was nothing to suggest a thought of impropriety, and they were soon on quarrelling terms, falling out about a great many things--which is always the sign of a good understanding; but after the first they touched on no dangerous subject for a long time. At last, however, there came a change. Ideala noticed one day that Lorrimer was restless and irritable.

”Am I interfering with your work to-day?” she said. ”Do tell me. Any other day will suit me just as well.”

”Oh, no,” he answered. ”I am lazy, that is all. How are you getting on?

Let me see.” And he took the paper she was engaged upon, and looked at it.

She watched him, and saw that he was not reading, although he held it before his eyes for some time. He was paler than usual, and there was a look of indecision in his face, very unlike its habitual expression, which was serene and self-contained.

Looking up all at once, he met her eyes fixed on him frankly and affectionately, but he did not respond to her smile.

”How do you suppose all this is going to end?” he said, abruptly.

”Won't it do?” she answered, thinking of her paper. ”Had I better give it up, or re-write it?”

He threw the paper down with a gesture of impatience, and got up; and then, as if ashamed of his irritability, he took it again, and gave it back to her. In doing so his hand accidentally touched hers.

”How cold you are,” he said. ”Let me warm your hands for you.”

”They are benumbed,” she answered, letting him take them and rub them.

After a moment he said, without looking at her, ”Do you know, it is very good of you to come here like this.”

”Why?” she asked. ”It suits my own convenience.”

”I know. But it is refres.h.i.+ng to find some one who will suit their own convenience so.” ”That sounds as if it were not the right thing to do!”

she exclaimed.

”Nonsense!” he answered. ”You misunderstand me.”

Ideala withdrew her hands hastily, and half rose.

”What is the matter?” he said. ”Come, don't be idle! You should have mastered that book by this time.”